PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE; R.A NO. 9266

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A MORE RESPONSIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE
REGULATION FOR THE REGISTRATION, LICENSING AND PRACTICE OF
ARCHITECTURE, REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 545, AS
AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “AN ACT TO REGULATE THE PRACTICE
OF ARCHITECTURE IN THE PHILIPPINES,” AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

This Rules and Regulations shall be known as “THE RULES AND REGULATIONS
IMPLEMENTING THE PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9266”, otherwise known as
“THE ARCHITECTURE ACT OF 2004”. For brevity, it may be cited as “IRR of the
Architecture Act of 2004”.

The State recognizes the importance of architects in nation building and development.
Hence, it shall develop and nurture competent, virtuous, productive and well-rounded
professional architects whose standards of practice and service shall be excellent, qualitative,
world-class and globally competitive through inviolable, honest, effective and credible licensure
examinations and through regulatory measures, programs and activities that foster their
professional growth and development.

is the art, science or profession of planning, designing and
constructing buildings in their totality taking into account their environment, in accordance with
the principles of utility, strength and beauty;

means a person professionally and academically qualified, registered and
licensed under R.A. No. 9266 with a Certificate of Registration and Professional Identification
Card issued by the Professional Regulatory Board of Architecture and the Professional
Regulation Commission, and who is responsible for advocating the fair and sustainable
development, welfare and cultural expression of society’s habitat in terms of space, forms and
historical context;

means the architect registered and licensed under R.A. No.
9266, who is directly and professionally responsible for the total design of the project for the
client and who shall assume the civil liability for the plans, specifications and contract
documents he/she has signed and sealed;

means an architect registered and licensed
under R.A. No. 9266, who is directly and professionally responsible and liable for the
construction supervision of the project

means the architect registered and licensed or permitted to
practice under R.A. No. 9266, who is professionally and academically qualified and with
exceptional or recognized expertise or specialization in any branch of architecture;

the act of planning and architectural designing,
structural conceptualization, specifying, supervising and giving general administration and
responsible direction to the erection, enlargement or alterations of buildings and building
environments and architectural design in engineering structures or any part thereof; the scientific,
aesthetic and orderly coordination of all the processes which enter into the production of a
complete building or structure performed through the medium of unbiased preliminary studies of
plans, consultations, specifications, conferences, evaluations, investigations, contract documents
and oral advice and directions regardless of whether the persons engaged in such practice are
residents of the Philippines or have their principal office or place of business in this country or
another territory, and regardless of whether such persons are performing one or all these duties,
or whether such duties are performed in person or as the directing head of an office or
organization performing them;

encompasses the provision of professional
services in connection with site, physical and planning and the design, construction, enlargement,
conservation, renovation, remodeling, restoration or alteration of a building or group of
buildings. Services may include, but are not limited to:

planning, architectural designing and structural conceptualization

consultation, consultancy, giving oral or written advice and directions, conferences,
evaluations, investigations, quality surveys, appraisals and adjustments, architectural and
operational planning, site analysis and other pre-design services;

schematic design, design development, contract documents and construction phases
including professional consultancies;

preparation of preliminary, technical, economic and financial feasibility studies of
plans, models and project promotional services;

) preparation of architectural plans, specifications, bill of materials, cost estimates,
general conditions and bidding documents;

construction and project management, giving general management, administration,
supervision, coordination and responsible direction or the planning, architectural designing,
construction, reconstruction, erection, enlargement or demolition, renovation, repair, orderly
removal, remodeling, alteration, preservation or restoration of buildings or structures or complex
buildings, including all their components, sites and environs, intended for private or public use;

the planning, architectural lay-outing and utilization of spaces within and surrounding
such buildings or structures, housing design and community architecture, architectural interiors
and space planning, architectural detailing, architectural lighting, acoustics, architectural layouting
of mechanical, electrical, electronic, sanitary, plumbing, communications and other utility
systems, equipment and fixtures;

building programming, building administration, construction arbitration and
architectural conservation and restoration;

all works which relate to the scientific, aesthetic and orderly coordination of all works
and branches of the work, systems and processes necessary for the production of a complete
building or structure, whether for public or private use, in order to enhance or safeguard life,
health and property and the promotion and enrichment of the quality of life, the architectural
design of engineering structures or any part thereof; and

all other works, projects and activities which require the professional competence of
an architect, including teaching of architectural subjects and architectural computer-aided design;

means the act of conceiving, choosing and
developing the type, disposition, arrangement and proportioning of the structural elements of an
architectural work giving due consideration to safety, cost-effectiveness, functionality and
aesthetics;

means a sole proprietorship, a partnership or a corporation
registered with the DTI AND/OR SEC and then with the Board of Architecture and PRC;

refers to the author or authors of a set of architectural plans or
specifications who are in charge of their preparation whether made by them personally or under
their immediate supervision;

refers to the Professional Regulatory Board of Architecture;

” means the Professional Regulation Commission;

means a duly notarized written contract or equivalent public
instrument stipulating the scope of services and guaranteeing compensation of such
services to be rendered by an architect registered and licensed under R.A. No. 9266;

means the existing official
national organization of all architects of the Philippines in which all registered Filipino architects
shall be members without prejudice to membership in other voluntary professional associations;

refers to a sustaining and progressive
learning process that maintains, enhances, or increases the knowledge and continuing ability of
architects;

DTI

SEC

any formal grouping of two or more architects or architectural firms
working in joint venture on a project basis.

means a juridical entity that shall be synonymous with an
Architectural Partnership (see definition of Architectural Partnership) registered with the SEC.

means a group of professionals in architecture and
allied professions, incorporated with Architects for the purpose of delivering professional service
in architecture and allied professions; in case an existing Architectural Corporation does not
comply with the 75% composition requirement, it shall comply and register again with the SEC
and the BOA

means an architectural drawings, specifications, and
other outputs of an Architect that only an Architect can sign and seal consisting, among others,
of vicinity maps, site development plans, architectural program, perspective drawings,
architectural floor plans, elevations, sections, ceiling plans, schedules, detailed drawings,
technical specifications and cost estimates, and other instruments of service in any form.

means a detailed planning and design of the
indoor/enclosed areas of any proposed building/structure, including retrofit or renovation work
and which shall cover all architectural and utility aspects, including the architectural lay-outing
of all building engineering systems found therein.

means a group of two or more Architects duly
registered with the SEC and then with the Board of Architecture

means a structure for the purpose and function of habitation and other
uses.

means a certificate bearing a registration number,
issued to an individual, by the Professional Regulation Commission through the Board of
Architecture, signifying that the individual has successfully passed the Licensure Examination
and is registered to practice his/her profession as Architect.

means a document which forms part of the Architects’
National Code which contains the norms and principles governing the practice of the profession
of architecture in the highest standards of ethical conduct.

a registered and licensed Architect, who is academically and
professionally qualified, and with exceptional or recognized expertise or specialization in any
branch of architecture; the Consulting Architect assumes no civil liability under Art. 1723 of the
Civil Code unless he/she attempts and/or succeeds to interfere or contravene the legal and
professional functions of the Architect-of-Record; the Consulting Architect assumes the normal
civil liability under the service agreement he/she signs with a Client.

are the documents attached to the agreement identified
therein as Contract Documents, including all additions, deletions and modifications incorporated
therein. These generally include the following documents: a) Special Provisions or conditions
b) General Conditions
c) Drawings
d) Specifications
e) Other Bid Documents

shall refer to the intellectual proprietary
rights retained by an Architect over any architectural documents/ work that he/she prepares
unless there is a written stipulation to the contrary, copyright in a work of architecture shall
include the right to control the erection of any building which reproduces the whole or a
substantial part of the work either in its original form or in any form recognizably derived from
the original; however, the copyright in any such work shall not include the right to control the
reconstruction or rehabilitation in the same style as the original of a building to which the
copyright relates.

means an entities, agencies, organizations and the like that have
been accredited/registered with the Board of Architecture of the Professional Regulation
Commission to deliver seminars, lectures, and other continuing professional education modules
for architects, other than the Integrated Accredited Professional Organization of Architects which
is automatically accredited by the Board of Architecture as a CPD Provider.

a post-baccalaureate, pre-licensure
experience of two (2) years required of a graduate of architecture prior to taking the licensure
examination; consisting of a variation of experiences in the different phases of architectural
service.

means an architect who is not a Filipino citizen nor an Architect
registered and licensed in the Philippines, but who is duly registered and licensed in his/her home
country as an Architect.

” the local Philippine architect, partnership or corporation that
must work in association with a foreign architect, partnership or corporation, on a project on
Philippine soil.

shall refer to proprietary rights to an architectural work such as plans,
designs and other documents by a person/ juridical entity who commissions the Architect and
whose ownership of an architectural work by such a person/ juridical entity shall only be
confined to the use of the architectural documents for executing /implementing the work
described therein for one (1) or the original project; ownership shall not apply to the use of a part
of or of the entire architectural work/architectural documents to repetitions or to subsequent
projects.

refers to physical planning at site, community or urban level by an
Architect.

refers to an Architect who specializes in the detailed physical
planning of land or property on which vertical structures such as buildings and/or structures and
horizontal developments such as rights-of-way, open spaces and recreational/ sports/
entertainment/ tourism and related facilities are to be proposed.

he detailed physical planning of land or property on which
vertical structures such as buildings, monuments and/or structures and horizontal developments
such as rights-of-way, open spaces and recreational/ sports/ establishments/ tourism and related
facilities are to be proposed.

refers to a person whose name and registration/professional license
number is entered in the Professional Regulation Commission registry book and computerized
database as one legally authorized to practice his profession.

a document bearing the registration number,
date of issuance with an expiry date, due for periodic renewal, duly signed by the Chairperson of
the PRC to a registered Architect upon payment of the annual registration fees for three (3)
years.

the detailed site development planning of all areas surrounding a
building/structure and/or a group of buildings/structures but only within the property limits of the
land on which such buildings/structures are to be erected.

means a document embodied in the Architects
National Code, which defines all aspects of professional service, prescribes minimum basic fees
and establishes the rights and obligations of both the Architect and the client.

an expertise and special knowledge in the field of architecture
acquired by an Architect through formal education and training or through continuing
professional development and experience, for which the Architect may be engaged as Consulting
Architect.

the outlines embodying topics and concepts of major subjects prescribed in
specific course of study to serve as basis for test questions in the licensure examinations.

refers to contracts or arrangements involving the transfer of
systematic knowledge for the manufacture of a product, the application of a process, or rendering
of a service including management contracts; and the transfer, assignment or licensing of all
forms of intellectual property rights.

physical and systemic design undertaken by an Architect on a
community and urban plane, more comprehensive than, and an extension of the architecture of
buildings, spaces between buildings, entourage, utilities and movement systems

ARCHITECTURE ACT OF 2004

BOA

CHED

CIAC

CPD

DOLE

DTI

IAPOA

Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines

PCAB

PDCB

PRB

PRC

PRC Modernization Act of 2000

SEC

UAP

There is hereby created a Professional Regulatory Board of Architecture, hereinafter
referred to as the Board, a collegial body under the supervision and administrative control of the
Professional Regulation Commission, hereinafter referred to as the Commission, is composed of
a chairman and two (2) members appointed by the President of the Philippines from a list of
three (3) recommendees chosen from a list of five (5) nominees for each position submitted to
the Commission by the integrated and the accredited professional organization of architects. The
Board shall be organized not later than six (6) months from the effectivity of the Architecture
Act of 2004.

Each Member shall, at the time of his/her appointment, possess the following
qualifications:
(a) be a citizen and a resident of the Philippines;
(b) be a holder of a degree in Bachelor of Science in Architecture conferred by a
school, college or university in the Philippines or abroad that is recognized and/or accredited by
the Commission on Higher Education (CHED);
(c) be an architect with a valid Certificate of Registration and Professional
Identification Card and active practitioner of architecture for at least ten (10) years on the date of
his/her appointment;
(d) not be a member of the faculty of any school, college, university or review
institution where a regular course or review course in architecture is taught, nor have pecuniary
interest in such institution. No former member of the faculty of any school, institute, university
or review center where architecture is taught can become a member of the Board unless he/she
had officially resigned from such an institution and has completely stopped teaching, advising or
reviewing activities for at least five (5) years prior to th

The members of the Board shall hold office for a term of three (3) years after
appointment or until their successors shall have been appointed and duly qualified. Any vacancy
Page 8 of 24
occurring within the term of a member shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term only.
Each member of the Board may be reappointed for one full term of three (3) years. Of the
members of the Board first appointed under R.A. No. 9266, one (1) member shall be appointed
and hold office as chairman for three (3) years, one (1) member for two (2) years, and one (1)
member for one (1) year. Each member of the Board shall qualify by taking the proper oath
prior to the performance of their duties: Provided, That the incumbent members of the Board
shall continue to serve for the remainder of their term as members of the herein created
Professional Regulatory Board of Architecture until a new Board shall have been properly
organized: Provided, Further that the incumbent members of the Board may be appointed as
members of the First Board.

The Board shall exercise the following specific powers, functions and responsibilities:
(a) Prescribe and adopt the “IRR of the Architecture Act of 2004” for carrying out the
provisions of R.A. No. 9266;
(b) Supervise the registration, licensure and practice of architects;
(c) Administer oaths in connection with the administration of R.A. No. 9266;
(d) Issue, suspend, revoke, or reinstate the Certificate of Registration and the Professional
Identification Card for the practice of the architecture profession;
(e) Adopt an official seal of the Board;
(f) Monitor the conditions affecting the practice of architecture and adopt such measures
as may be deemed proper for the enhancement and maintenance of high professional, ethical and
technical standards of the profession;
(g) Prescribe and/or adopt the Code of Ethical Conduct and Standards of Professional
Practice;
(h) Hear and decide administrative cases involving violations of R.A. No. 9266, the “IRR
of the Architecture Act of 2004”, the Code of Ethical Conduct and Standards of Professional
Practice and for this purpose, to issue subpoe

The Board shall be under the administrative supervision of the Commission. All records
of the Board, including applications for examination, examination questions, answer sheets, and
other records and documents pertaining to licensure examination, administrative and other
investigative cases conducted by the Board shall be under the custody of the Commission. The
Commission shall designate the Secretary of the Board and shall provide the secretariat and other
support services to implement the provisions of R.A. No. 9266.

The President of the Philippines, upon the recommendation of the Commission, after
giving the concerned member an opportunity to defend himself in a proper administrative
investigation to be conducted by the Commission, may suspend or remove any member on the
following grounds:
(a) Neglect of duty or incompetence;
(b) Violation or tolerance of the violation of R.A. No. 9266, or its implementing rules
and regulations or the Code of Ethical Conduct and Standards of Professional Practice;
(c) Final judgment of crimes involving moral turpitude; and
(d) Manipulation or rigging of the architecture licensure examination results, disclosure
of secret and confidential information in the examination questions prior to the conduct of the
said examination or tampering of grades.
The Commission in the conduct of the investigation shall be guided by Sec. 7(s) of R.A.
No. 8981.

The chairman and members of the Board shall receive compensation and allowances
comparable to that being received by the chairman and members of existing regulatory Boards
under the Commission as provided for in the General Appropriations Act.

The Board shall submit an annual report to the Commission after the close of each year
giving a detailed account of its proceedings during the year and making such recommendations
as it may deem proper.

All applicants for registration for the practice of architecture shall be required to undergo
a licensure examination to be given by the Board in such places and dates as the Commission
may designate in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act No. 8981.

Any person applying for examination shall establish to the satisfaction of the Board that:
(a) He/she is a Filipino citizen or a citizen of a foreign country qualified to take the
examination as provided for in Sec. 27, Art. IV of R.A. No. 9266 as carried out by Sec. 27, Rule
IV of this “IRR of the Architecture Act of 2004”;
(b) He/she is of good moral character;
(c) He/she is a holder of the degree of Bachelor of Science in Architecture conferred by a
school, college, academy or institute duly recognized and/or accredited by the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED) and in addition has a specific record of at least two (2) years or
equivalent of diversified architectural experience duly certified by a registered/licensed architect:
Provided, however, That an applicant holding a Master’s Degree in Architecture from a school,
college, university or institute recognized by the government shall be credited one (1) year in
his/her practical experience; and
(d) He/she has not been convicted of any criminal offense involving moral turpitude.
The following documents shall be submitted in su

SECTION 14. Subjects for Examination

The Board shall submit to the Commission the ratings obtained by each candidate within
thirty (30) calendar days after the examination, unless extended for just cause. Upon the release
of the results of the examination, the Board shall send by mail the rating received by each
examinee at his/her given address using the mailing envelope submitted during the examination:
Provided, That, the report of rating may be distributed to the successful examinees during their
mass oathtaking as new registered and licensed architects

All successful candidates in the examination shall be required to take an oath of
profession before any member of the Board, any government official authorized by the
Commission pursuant to Sec. 7(k) of R.A. No. 8981 or any person authorized by law to
administer oaths, prior to entering upon the practice of the profession.

A certificate of Registration and Professional Identification Card shall be issued to
examinees who pass the licensure examination subject to payment of fees prescribed by the
Commission. The Certificate of Registration shall bear the signature of the chairperson of the
Commission and the chairman and members of the Board, stamped with the official seal of the
Board and the Commission, indicating that the person named therein is entitled to the practice of
the profession with all the privileges appurtenant thereto. The said certificate shall remain in full
force and effect until withdrawn, suspended or revoked in accordance with R.A. No. 9266.
A Professional Identification Card bearing the registration number, date of issuance,
expiry date, duly signed by the chairperson of the Commission, shall likewise be issued to every
registrant who has paid the prescribed fee of annual registration for three (3) years; Provided,
That, the reissuance or renewal of the said card shall be subject to payment of the annual
registration fees for another and every after three (3) years.

A roster showing the names and place of business including other personal material and
relevant data of all registered professional architects shall be prepared and updated by the Board
and copies thereof shall be made available to any party as may be deemed necessary.

A duly licensed architect shall affix the seal prescribed by the Board bearing the
registrant’s name, registration number and title “Architect” on all architectural plans, drawings,
specifications and all other contract documents prepared by or under his/her direct supervision.
(1) Each registrant hereunder shall, upon registration, obtain a seal of such design as the
Board shall authorize and direct. Architectural plans and specifications prepared by, or under the
direct supervision of a registered architect shall be stamped with said seal during the life of the
registrants certificate, and it shall be unlawful for any one to stamp or seal any documents with
said seal after the certificate of the registrant named thereon has expired or has been revoked,
unless said certificate shall have been renewed or re-issued.
(2) No officer or employee of this Republic, chartered cities, provinces and
municipalities, now or hereafter charged with the enforcement of laws, ordinances or regulations relating to the construction or alteration of buildings, shall accept or approve any architectural

The architect shall be required to indicate the number of his/her Certificate of
Registration and Professional Identification Card (PIC) with its date of issuance and the
duration of validity, including the professional tax receipt number which the City/Municipal
Treasurer shall issue to the registered architect upon presentation of his/her current PIC, on the
documents he/she signs, uses or issues in connection with the practice of his/her profession.

The Board shall not register and issue a Certificate of Registration and Professional
Identification Card to any person who has falsely sworn or misrepresented himself/herself in
his/her application for examination or to any person convicted by a court of competent
jurisdiction of a criminal offense involving moral turpitude or guilty of immoral and
dishonorable conduct or to any person of unsound mind. In the event of refusal to issue
certificate for any reason, the Board shall give the applicant a written statement setting forth the
reasons for such action, which statement shall be incorporated in the record of the Board:
Provided, however, That registration shall not be refused and a name shall not be removed from
the roster of architects on conviction for a political offense or for an offense which should not, in
the opinion of the Board, either from the nature of the offense or from the circumstances of the
case, disqualify a person from practicing under R.A. No. 9266.

The Board shall have the power, upon notice and hearing, to suspend or revoke the
validity of a Certificate of Registration/Professional Identification Card, or shall cancel a special
permit granted under R.A. No. 9266 to an architect, on any ground mentioned under Section 22
hereof for the use of or perpetuation of any fraud or deceit in obtaining a Certificate of
Registration and Professional Identification Card or special/temporary permit; for gross
negligence or incompetence; for unprofessional or dishonorable conduct; or for any cause
specified hereunder; Provided, however, That such action of the Board shall be subject to appeal
to the Commission whose decision shall be final if he/she:
(a) has signed and affixed or permitted to be signed or affixed his name or seal on
architectural plans and designs, specifications, drawings, technical reports, valuation, estimates,
or other similar documents or work not prepared by him/her or not executed under his/her
immediate supervision; or
(b) has paid money except the regular fees provided for to secure a Certificate of
Registration; or

The Board may, after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of revocation of a
Certificate of Registration, Professional Identification Card or special/temporary permit, and
upon application and for reasons deemed proper and sufficient, reinstate the validity of a revoked
Certificate of Registration and in so doing may, in its discretion, exempt the applicant from
taking another examination.
The Board shall issue a Resolution, subject to approval by the Commission, in granting a
petition for reinstatement to the practice of architecture.

No person shall practice architecture in this country, or engage in preparing architectural
plans, specifications or preliminary data for the erection or alteration of any building located
within the boundaries of this country, or use the title “Architect”, or display the word “Architect”
together with another word, or display or use any title, sign, card, advertisement, or other device
to indicate such person practices or offers to practice architecture, or is an architect, unless such
person shall have received from the Board a Certificate of Registration and be issued a
Professional Identification Card in the manner hereinafter provided and shall thereafter
comply with the provisions of R.A. No. 9266.
A foreign architect or any person not authorized to practice architecture in the
Philippines, who shall stay in the country and perform any of the activities mentioned in Sections
3 and 4 of R.A. No. 9266, or any other activity analogous thereto, in connection with the
construction of any building/structure/edifice or land development project, shall be deemed
engaged in the unauthori

All architects registered at the time this law takes effect shall automatically be registered
under the provisions hereof, subject, however, to the provisions herein set forth as to future
requirements.
Certificates of Registration and Professional Identification Cards held by such persons in
good standing shall have the same force and effect as though issued after the passage of R.A. No.
9266.

A person who is not a citizen of the Philippines at the time he/she applies to take the
examination shall not be allowed to take the licensure examination unless he/she can prove, in
the manner provided by the Rules of Court that, by specific provision of law, the country of
which he/she is a citizen, subject or national either admits citizens of the Philippines to the
practice of the same profession without restriction or allows them to practice it after passing an
examination on terms of strict and absolute equality with citizens, subjects or nationals of the
country concerned, including the unconditional recognition of prerequisite degrees/diplomas
issued by the institutions of learning duly recognized for the purpose by the Government of the
Philippines.
A foreign citizen, whether he studied in the Philippines or not, who desires to take the
licensure examination for Architects through reciprocity shall initiate the establishment of
reciprocity between his country/state and the Philippines by presenting/submitting a letter or any
document signed and under official seal by the ap

To promote public interest and to safeguard life, health and property, all practicing
architects shall maintain a program of continuing professional development. The integrated and
accredited professional organization shall have the responsibility of developing a continuing
professional development program for architects. Other entities or organizations may become
CPD providers upon accreditation by the Board.
A program of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) shall be maintained through
an overall CPD program for architects developed by the United Architects of the Philippines,
Inc. Such a program shall be formulated by the Continuing Professional Education (CPE)
Council for Architects based on the existing guidelines of the Professional Regulation
Commission with levels of compliance and proficiency evaluation as a rating factor.
Accreditation of CPD/CPE providers by the Board of Architecture shall be based on the said
guidelines.

Any person who shall practice or offer to practice architecture in the Philippines without
being registered/licensed and who are not holders of temporary or special permits in accordance
with the provisions of R.A. No. 9266, or any person presenting or attempting to use as his/her
own the Certificate of Registration/Professional Identification Card or seal of another or
temporary or special permit, or any person who shall give any false or forged evidence of any
kind to the Board or to any member thereof in obtaining a Certificate of
Registration/Professional Identification Card or temporary or special permit, or any person who shall falsely impersonate any registrant of like or different name, or any person who shall attempt
to use a revoked or suspended Certificate of Registration/Professional Identification Card or
cancelled special/temporary permit, or any person who shall use in connection with his/her name
or otherwise assume, use or advertise any title or description tending to convey the impression
that he/she is an architect when he/she is not an architect, or any person wh

Any person or entity, whether public or private, Filipino or foreigner, who/which shall
entice, compel, coerce, require or otherwise force an architect registered and licensed under R.A.
No. 9266 to undertake/perform any service under the general practice of architecture as defined
under R.A. No. 9266, without first executing a written contract/service agreement, shall be guilty
of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction be sentenced to a fine of not less than Two
hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) or to suffer imprisonment for a period not exceeding six
(6) years, or both, at the discretion of the Court.

t shall be unlawful for any person or firm or corporation to seek to avoid the provisions
of R.A. No. 9266 by having a representative or employee seek architectural work in their behalf,
unless and until, such persons have duly qualified and duly registered/licensed, otherwise, both
those represented and the representative, the employer and the employee shall be deemed guilty
of violation of R.A. No. 9266. Solicitation of architectural work shall be construed as offering to
practice architecture and shall be unlawful for any non-registered and unlicensed persons to do
so.

It shall be unlawful for any architect to sign his/her name, affix his/her seal, or use any
other method of signature on architectural plans, specifications or other contract documents
made under another architect’s supervision, unless the same is made in such manner as to clearly
indicate the part or parts of such work actually performed by the former, and shall be unlawful
for any person, except the Architect-of record shall be fully responsible for all architectural
plans, specifications, and other documents issued under his/her seal or authorized signature.

Drawings and specifications and other contract documents duly signed, stamped or
sealed, as instruments of service, are the intellectual property and documents of the architect,
whether the object for which they are made is executed or not. It shall be unlawful for any
person to duplicate or to make copies of said documents for use in the repetition of and for other
projects or buildings, whether executed partly or in whole, without the written consent of
architect or author of said documents

Persons not registered as an architect shall not claim nor represent either services or work
as equivalent to those of a duly qualified registered architect, or that they are qualified for any
branch or function of architectural practice, even though no form of the title “Architect” is used.

Within three (3) years from the effectivity of R.A. No. 9266, all existing and proposed
positions in the local and national government, whether career, permanent, temporary or
contractual and primarily requiring the services of an architect shall be filled only by registered
and licensed architects.

It shall be unlawful for any unregistered person to collect a fee for architectural services
except as an employee collecting a fee as representative of a Registered Architect.

The practice of architecture is a professional service, admission to which shall be
determined upon the basis of individual personal qualifications. However, a firm, company,
partnership, corporation or association may be registered or licensed as such for the practice of
architecture under the following conditions

Foreign nationals who have gained entry in the Philippines to perform professional
services as architects or consultants in foreign-funded or assisted projects of the government or
employed or engaged by Filipino or foreign contractors or private firms, shall, before assuming
the duties, functions and responsibilities as architects or consultants, secure a special/temporary
permit from the Board subject to approval of the Commission, to practice his/her profession in
connection with the project to which he/she was commissioned: Provided, That a foreign
national or foreign firm, whose name or company name, with the title architect, architectural
consultant, design consultant, consultant or designer appears on architectural plans,
specifications and other related construction documents, for securing building permits, licenses
and government authority clearances for actual building project construction in the Philippines
and advertisements and billboards for marketing purposes, shall be deemed practicing
architecture in the Philippines, whether the contract for professional services is

Foreign nationals, including former Filipinos wanting to engage in the general practice of
architecture as defined in Section 3 (c) of R.A. No. 9266 must secure locally their professional
liability insurance or malpractice insurance or their acceptable equivalent in bond form
commensurate with the nature and magnitude of their project involvement and their

The Architecture profession shall be integrated into one (1) national organization which
shall be accredited by the Board, subject to the approval by the Commission, as the integrated
and accredited professional organization of architects: Provided, however, That such an
organization shall be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as a non-profit,
non-stock corporation to be governed by by-laws providing for a democratic election of its
officials. An architect duly registered with the Board shall automatically become a member of
the integrated and accredited professional organization of architects and shall receive the benefits
and privileges provided for in R.A. 9266 upon payment of the required fees and dues.
Membership in the integrated and accredited professional organization of architects shall not be a
bar to membership in other associations of architects.

Within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of R.A. No. 9266, the Board, subject to the
approval of the Commission and in coordination with integrated and accredited professional
organization, shall adopt and promulgate such rules and regulations, Code of Ethical Conduct
and Standards of Professional Practice, to carry out the provisions of R.A. No. 9266 and which
shall be effective fifteen (15) days following their publication in the Official Gazette or in two
(2) major daily newspapers of general circulation.

The Chairperson of the Professional Regulation Commission shall immediately include in
the Commission’s programs the implementation of R.A. No. 9266, the funding of which shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
The amount necessary to carry out the initial implementation of R.A. No. 9266 shall be
charged against the current year’s appropriations of the Professional Regulation Commission.
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of R.A. No. 9266
shall be included in the succeeding General Appropriations Act (GAA).

R.A. No. 9266 shall not be construed to affect or prevent the practice of any other legally
recognized profession.

It shall be the primary duty of the Commission and the Board to effectively enforce the
provisions of R.A. No. 9266 and this “IRR of the Architecture Act of 2004”. All duly constituted
law enforcement agencies and officers of national, provincial, city or municipal government or
of any political subdivision thereof, shall, upon the call or request of the Commission or the
Board, render assistance in enforcing the provisions of R.A. No. 9266 and this “IRR of the
Architecture Act of 2004”, and to prosecute any person violating the provisions of the same.

If, for any reason, any section or provision of the herein “IRR” or application of such
rules and regulations or provision to any person or circumstances is declared unconstitutional or
invalid, the remainder of this “IRR of the Architecture Act of 2004”, or application of such
provisions to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected by such declaration.

Any provisions of the rules, regulations, codes, orders, resolutions, measures, and other
policies or parts thereof issued and promulgated pursuant to R.A. No. 545 (as amended by R.A.
No. 1581), P.D. No. 223 (as amended), R.A. No. 8981, and other laws which are inconsistent
with this “IRR of the Architecture Act of 2004” are hereby superseded, repealed or amended
accordingly

The herein “IRR of the Architecture Act of 2004” shall be, upon approval by the
Commission, be effective after fifteen (15) days following its full and complete publication in
the Official Gazette or in two (2) major newspapers of general circulation.

Chairperson

Secretary, Professional Regulatory Boards